Kissing the tabernacle

AServantofGod · Feb 15, 2005

My children saw some people praying at the tabernacle (ours is in the traditional place by the altar) and wanted to do so as well. We asked our priest if that was O.K. & if we could kiss the tabernacle as well. He said this was O.K. but was a little hesitant. Is it proper to climb the stairs to the tabernacle, kneel in reverant prayer, and then kiss the tabernacle as a show of one’s love?

Exporter · Feb 15, 2005

I have raised 4 children. NEVER, NEVER would I permit them to up the steps to the altar. There is possibility of an accident. That is not permissable.

Why you would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit? He must have felt so sorry for you that say …well…OK.

If I was praying and saw a couple of little kids going up to the tabernacle…I would move fast, and stop it. I never heard in all my 74 years such a display. No don’t do it.

Only the priest touches the Tabernacle or a Deacon.

FenianMan · Feb 16, 2005

Exporter:

I have raised 4 children. NEVER, NEVER would I permit them to up the steps to the altar. There is possibility of an accident. That is not permissable.

Why you would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit? He must have felt so sorry for you that say …well…OK.

If I was praying and saw a couple of little kids going up to the tabernacle…I would move fast, and stop it. I never heard in all my 74 years such a display. No don’t do it.

Only the priest touches the Tabernacle or a Deacon.

The request seems to be made out of sincere devotion, but it does seem pretty imprudent. We do have historical accounts of various saints (like Thomas Aquinas) resting his head on the tabernacle, but these are extraordinary circumstances (and, as the previous poster noted, he was/is a priest). I think that kissing the tabernacle would indicate an undue familiarity. Not that we oughtn’t be familiar with God, but that the sanctuary is properly the domain of the ordained. Jesus loves your tender devotion from the nave. A practice that I might suggest: try kissing your rosary beads after every Ave. That will allow your body to express the devotion that you desire in a way that indicates a proper familiarity.

AServantofGod · Feb 16, 2005

Exporter:

I have raised 4 children. NEVER, NEVER would I permit them to up the steps to the altar. There is possibility of an accident. That is not permissable.

Why you would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit? He must have felt so sorry for you that say …well…OK.

If I was praying and saw a couple of little kids going up to the tabernacle…I would move fast, and stop it. I never heard in all my 74 years such a display. No don’t do it.

Only the priest touches the Tabernacle or a Deacon.

Thanks for your comments.

You question, however, asking why I would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit assumes I knew he could not permit it. If I knew he could not permit it I wouldn’t have had to ask. And if he couldn’t permit it then why did he? Also, if he said O.K. because he felt sorry for me then that shows a weakness on his part. I think he said O.K. because he didn’t see anything wrong with it. Maybe that’s the BIGGER problem.

Nota_Bene · Feb 16, 2005

AServantofGod:

My children saw some people praying at the tabernacle (ours is in the traditional place by the altar) and wanted to do so as well. We asked our priest if that was O.K. & if we could kiss the tabernacle as well. He said this was O.K. but was a little hesitant. Is it proper to climb the stairs to the tabernacle, kneel in reverant prayer, and then kiss the tabernacle as a show of one’s love?

No problem with this at all, so long as it’s done in a respectful and reverent manner. If it’s done to “be seen” then you can imagine the answer.

It might be best to do this when no one else is around…

Keep in mind the altar is the actual table (altar = table in Latin) where the sacrifice takes place. It’s not the sanctuary where the altar is located…

Nota_Bene · Feb 16, 2005

Exporter:

I have raised 4 children. NEVER, NEVER would I permit them to up the steps to the altar. There is possibility of an accident. That is not permissable.

Why you would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit? He must have felt so sorry for you that say …well…OK.

If I was praying and saw a couple of little kids going up to the tabernacle…I would move fast, and stop it. I never heard in all my 74 years such a display. No don’t do it.

Only the priest touches the Tabernacle or a Deacon.

You’re simply mistaken on all counts…

No where does the Church (at least the Latin Church) prohibit the faithful to enter the sanctuary, or touch/kiss the tabernacle.

Obviously for it not to be offensive, such devotions would have to take place well outside of Mass, and they would have to be done with the upmost of reverence.

IF someone did this just to put on a show so they could been seen, that would be entirely unacceptable…

pax_2005 · Feb 16, 2005

If you are going pu to the tabernacle out of sincere devotion to pray before it, I think that’s awesome. If more people reverantly did this, maybe more Catholics would have faith in the real presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. I honestly don’t think Jesus would mind if someone kissed the tabernacle out of devotion. I doubt the church has said anything about this officially, but devotion to our Eucharistic Lord is something that has been cast aside in many places.

Jesus waits in the tabernacle for us to worship him.

Exporter · Feb 17, 2005

Note bene wrote." Nota Bene http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/statusicon_cad/user_offline.gif vbmenu_register(“postmenu_464982”, true);
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http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon2.gif Re: Kissing the tabernacle
Quote:
Originally Posted by Exporter
*I have raised 4 children. NEVER, NEVER would I permit them to up the steps to the altar. There is possibility of an accident. That is not permissable.

Why you would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit? He must have felt so sorry for you that say …well…OK.

If I was praying and saw a couple of little kids going up to the tabernacle…I would move fast, and stop it. I never heard in all my 74 years such a display. No don’t do it.

Only the priest touches the Tabernacle or a Deacon.*

You’re simply mistaken on all counts (Nota Bene)

Mistaken on all count,HUH?
Count 1. I raised 4 children ( YOU ARE WRONG THERE NOTA BENE )-…I Did raise four children. Nota Bene says I was wrong to say I raised four children. He is wrong.
Count2. If I saw some little kids heading for the tabernacle . I would stop them. Bene says that is wrong. I WAS RIGHT, that is exactly what I would do.Again Nota Bene is wrong,
Count3. I said I never have seen anyone but the priest or a Deacon touching the tabernacle. Bene says thats wrong. Bene is wrong, I spoke the truth. So Bene is wrong again.

If Nota Bene is wrong on three counts then why would we believe him at all. I dont believe him.

Nota_Bene · Feb 17, 2005

Exporter:

Note bene wrote." Nota Bene http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/statusicon_cad/user_offline.gif vbmenu_register(“postmenu_464982”, true);
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Join Date: January 25, 2005
Location: Holmby Hills, CA
Posts: 142

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon2.gif Re: Kissing the tabernacle
Quote:
Originally Posted by Exporter
I have raised 4 children. NEVER, NEVER would I permit them to up the steps to the altar. There is possibility of an accident. That is not permissable.

*Why you would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit? He must have felt so sorry for you that say …well…OK. *

If I was praying and saw a couple of little kids going up to the tabernacle…I would move fast, and stop it. I never heard in all my 74 years such a display. No don’t do it.

Only the priest touches the Tabernacle or a Deacon.

You’re simply mistaken on all counts (Nota Bene)

Mistaken on all count,HUH?
Count 1. I raised 4 children ( YOU ARE WRONG THERE NOTA BENE )-…I Did raise four children. Nota Bene says I was wrong to say I raised four children. He is wrong.
Count2. If I saw some little kids heading for the tabernacle . I would stop them. Bene says that is wrong. I WAS RIGHT, that is exactly what I would do.Again Nota Bene is wrong,
Count3. I said I never have seen anyone but the priest or a Deacon touching the tabernacle. Bene says thats wrong. Bene is wrong, I spoke the truth. So Bene is wrong again.

If Nota Bene is wrong on three counts then why would we believe him at all. I dont believe him.

Are you OK?

While I am certain you do indeed have the kids you say you do, you are wrong to suggest everything else.

Exporter · Feb 17, 2005

Nota Bene, this is the third and the last time I will try to help you understand. You have said I was wrong ON ALL THREE COUNTS!
Here is what was said:"Originally Posted by Exporter
(1) I have raised 4 children. NEVER, NEVER would I permit them to up the steps to the altar. There is possibility of an accident. That is not permissable.

*(4) Why you would ask the priest to do something that he cannot permit? He must have felt so sorry for you that say …well…OK. *

(2) If I was praying and saw a couple of little kids going up to the tabernacle…I would move fast, and stop it. (3) I never heard in all my 74 years such a display. No don’t do it
Note bene says I was wrong on all three “counts”. That is wrong.

(1) I did raise 4 boys, three of which were altar boys.(I am correct)
(2) I would do as I said id I saw some kids going after the tabernacle. ( I am correct)
(3) I never have heard of kids touching the tabernacle! (I am correct again)

Then finally I say if you, Nota Bene are wrong THREE TIMES, why should we listen to anyting you have to say. Go take a rest.

Fergal · Feb 17, 2005

Little Blessed Francsisco Marto would spend hours with his arms wrapped around the tabernacle and he was only 9 years old. He did so to console the hidden Jesus. Perhaps it was this devotion that gave him the grace to move quickly to high degrees of holiness.
When he started doing it he was neither a priest nor a saint as Our Lady pointed out.
Never underestimate the love in the heart of a child. It is the love that Jesus asked for.

Joe_Kelley · Feb 17, 2005

As a favor to the ladies who clean the church please remove all lipstick before kissing the tabernacle, or anything else in the church. It is a real problem to clean off and it looks terrible.

rayne89 · Feb 17, 2005

http://www.catholicfineart.com/xframe/images/i_z012.jpg

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

AServantofGod · Feb 17, 2005

Fergal:

Little Blessed Francsisco Marto would spend hours with his arms wrapped around the tabernacle and he was only 9 years old. He did so to console the hidden Jesus. Perhaps it was this devotion that gave him the grace to move quickly to high degrees of holiness.
When he started doing it he was neither a priest nor a saint as Our Lady pointed out.
Never underestimate the love in the heart of a child. It is the love that Jesus asked for.

Beautiful! What a great example.

Ray_Marshall · Feb 17, 2005

AServantofGod:

We asked our priest if that was O.K. & if we could kiss the tabernacle as well. He said this was O.K. but was a little hesitant. Is it proper to climb the stairs to the tabernacle, kneel in reverant prayer, and then kiss the tabernacle as a show of one’s love?

EVERY tabernacle that I have **EVER ** seen has been at the rear of the main or side altar. Most adults would find it difficult to kiss the tabernacle without standing on a ladder or actually getting up on that altar itself.

That would be an absolute sacrilege.

And if a tabernacle is so located that a child could easily kiss it, I would contend that it is not positioned in a secure location.

And now that I think of it, I can think of one church were a child might be able to touch or kiss the tabernacle. I think I’ll go there soon to check it out again.

Prometheum_x · Feb 18, 2005

Ray Marshall said:
EVERY tabernacle that I have **EVER ** seen has been at the rear of the main or side altar. Most adults would find it difficult to kiss the tabernacle without standing on a ladder or actually getting up on that altar itself.

That would be an absolute sacrilege.

And if a tabernacle is so located that a child could easily kiss it, I would contend that it is not positioned in a secure location.

And now that I think of it, I can think of one church were a child might be able to touch or kiss the tabernacle. I think I’ll go there soon to check it out again.

The tabernacle at my church is separate from any altar and is at about chest level. While a child probably couldn’t reach it, an adult definitely can. However, because the tabernacle door is always locked it is definitely secure, unless someone brought in a sledge hammer and broke the tabernacle.

Catholic90 · Feb 18, 2005

Exporter:

(1) I did raise 4 boys, three of which were altar boys.(I am correct)
(2) I would do as I said id I saw some kids going after the tabernacle. ( I am correct)
(3) I never have heard of kids touching the tabernacle! (I am correct again)
…

Go take a rest.*

My goodness!!

I’m sure you did raise your children.:tiphat:

How can there be an accident on the steps of the altar? I don’t get that one.:ehh:

If you went “after” my children as they approached the tabernacle at our church (it is located in an adoration chapel at approximately 4 feet off the floor) to touch it, kiss it, hug it, or otherwise show reverence and love

, I would most certainly go “after” **you!! :tsktsk: **

Perhaps you haven’t heard of kids touching the tabernacle. Others have. If done in a reverent, loving matter, I’m sure Jesus doesn’t mind!

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them” :amen:

Kissing the tabernacle

AServantofGod

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Exporter

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FenianMan

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AServantofGod

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Nota_Bene

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Nota_Bene

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pax_2005

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Exporter

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